Improvement in fence-posts



J. D. ROMAINE. Fence-Post.

No. 205,685. Patented July-2,1878.

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UNITED STATESPATENT Orr-Ion.

JOHN D. ROMAINE, or SPRINGDALE, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FENCE-POSTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 205,685, dated July 2, 1878; application filed October 13, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN D. ROMAINE, of the town of Springdale, in the county of Cedar and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence- Posts, of which the following is a specification:

My post consists of a cast or wrought iron base, having gradually-taperin g flanges to h old it firmly in the earth, and an angular shoulder extending upward therefrom, to which the wooden shaft is bolted.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a rear view of my post; Fig. 2. a similar view of the base; Fig. 3, a front view of a portion of the shaft, with the manner of fastening the wire thereto; and Fig. 4 is a vertical central section of the entire post.

The base A A is made of cast or wrought iron in a form best adapted to the purposes of attaching to it the wooden post B, and also insuring the greatest strength, with sufficient firmness in the earth.

In the post, as shown, the base is made in nearly a right-angled form, as being the simplest and well suited to the purposes named. The base is tapered toward its lower extremity from a point near the surface of the ground when the same is driven, to insure the greater ease and rapidity in that work. At the same point there is inserted between the two parts forming the sides of the base a strengtheningbrace, (J, which serves the double purpose of strengthening the same and affording a support for the shaft when attached thereto. Rising above this point is the shoulder A, into the angle of which the shaft is fastened. This may be reduced in size as it nears the end for the sake of economizing metal in its construction. At or near the center, and in the angle of this shoulder, is the slot at. Through this slot and a corresponding hole in the lower end of the shaft B is inserted the bolt 0, and a nut on this bolt draws the two parts of the post Instead of a single bolt, two or more may be used by forming the necessary holes in the base and top.

The manner of fastening the wire to the post is shown in Fig. 4, and the same is so simple as to require little explanation. Two staples are driven near together wherever the wire 1s designed to be, and, the wire being slipped between them, a nail or other key is put through both staples i i and outside the wire, holding it effectually in place. The wire may also be stapled to the post in the ordinary.

manner, if desired.

The advantages peculiar to this post consist in its extreme cheapness of construction, ease in putting up or removing, together with strength, durability, and beauty. Being made of wood, it will be apparent that the top is cheaper than a wrought or cast iron top having no greater strength. It is not liable to rot, as it stands upright, and no water can remain upon it. Should one become useless, another can be quickly and cheaply made to supply its place without removing the base from the ground. When supplied with the loop-fastenin gs, the wire can be quickly detached from it and the fence changed from one place to another at the will of the owner. It also admits of the wires being placed at any desired points along its length, and this constitutes another superiority over the iron tops where the loops or hooks make the fastening of the wire to certain points arbitrary. As the parts are put together after the base is driven, the latter operation is performed without the inconvenience attending it when the driving is from the extreme top. The base, not being so high but that it may be reached by a person standing on the ground, the benefit arising from this cause will be very manifest. The base, being of an angular form, will admit of great variety in the shape of the shaft, whether the same be round, square, or otherwise.

I do not claim, broadly, a metal socket for the lower end of a wooden fence-post into and upon which said post may be secured, nor a socket so made and having a pointed end that can be driven into the ground, for I am aware that heretofore devices have been made and used having these objects in view; but all these devices which I have known about were in a measure complex in construction, and too bulky and too expensive for common or general use.

My said invention, as above described, being very simple in its structure, and strong as well as cheap, is designed to obviate and A and stiffening-rib C at its upper part, with entirely overcome all the objections heretofore the wooden post 13 and bolt 0, substantially as made to this class of posts. h and for the purposes set forth.

HaVin thus described my invention w at A T I claim a new, and desire to secure by Let- JOHN ROMAI) ters Patent, is- \Yitnesses:

The combination of the metallic base A, J. M. ST. JOHN, pointed at its lower end and having shoulder R. H. GILMORE. 

